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This bill creates a temporary, high-level commission to study moving non-security federal agencies out of the Washington, D.C. metro area to other parts of the country. The commission’s job is to study which agencies could be relocated, where they might go, and how moves could save money, support agency work, and spread federal jobs more broadly. It is made up of senior federal officials and cabinet members who will look at practical issues like local costs, available land and infrastructure, nearby industries that could partner with agencies, and how much an agency’s workforce already teleworks. The commission must finish its work and send a report with recommendations to Congress within one year. The bill defines which counties and city make up the Washington, D.C. metro area and says agencies that are “security-related” (as chosen by the President) would not be included. The study aims to identify sensible, cost-efficient relocation options that keep agencies effective while potentially lowering operating costs and supporting economic growth in other regions.
- Who serves: 16 senior officials and cabinet members, including leaders from Presidential Personnel, OPM, GAO, OMB, and the Secretaries or heads of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, HHS, HUD, Interior, Labor, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, EPA, and the FDA.
- Deadline and output: The commission must submit a report to Congress within one year with recommendations on which agencies to move and where.
- Main site selection factors: lower-than-average cost of living, adequate existing infrastructure and private land, nearby industry partners that match an agency’s work, and whether many agency employees teleworked in the past five years.
- Which agencies and area covered: Agencies not designated as security-related by the President are eligible; the D.C. metro area in the bill includes the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties (MD), and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William Counties and the City of Alexandria (VA).
Official Summaries
Commission to Relocate the Federal Bureaucracy Act
This bill establishes a commission to study the relocation of nonsecurity-related federal agencies based in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area to other areas throughout the United States. Within one year of the bill's enactment the commission must submit a report to Congress that includes relocation recommendations based on specified considerations.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 202 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 202
To establish a commission to study the relocation of certain agencies
outside of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Ms. Tenney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a commission to study the relocation of certain agencies
outside of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Commission to Relocate the Federal
Bureaucracy Act''.
SEC. 2. AGENCY RELOCATION COMMISSION.
(a) Definitions.--
(1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the
term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
(2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the
Commission established under subsection (b).
(3) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means an
agency that is not a security-related agency, as determined by
the President.
(4) Telework.--The term ``telework'' has the meaning given
the term in section 6501 of title 5, United States Code.
(5) Washington, d.c. metropolitan area.--The term
``Washington, D.C. metropolitan area'' means--
(A) the District of Columbia;
(B) Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in the
State of Maryland; and
(C) Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William
Counties and the City of Alexandria in the Commonwealth
of Virginia.
(b) Establishment.--There is established a Commission to study the
relocation of covered agencies based in the Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area to other areas throughout the United States.
(c) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of--
(1) the Director of the White House Presidential Personnel
Office;
(2) the Director of the Office of Personnel Management;
(3) the Comptroller General of the United States;
(4) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
(5) the Secretary of Agriculture;
(6) the Secretary of Commerce;
(7) the Secretary of Education;
(8) the Secretary of Energy;
(9) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
(10) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
(11) the Secretary of the Interior;
(12) the Secretary of Labor;
(13) the Secretary of Transportation;
(14) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
(15) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency; and
(16) the Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
(d) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress
a report on the study described in subsection (b).
(2) Factors.--In developing the report required under
paragraph (1), the Commission shall recommend the transfer of
covered agencies with consideration of--
(A) financial efficiency, including whether the
cost of living of an area is below the national
average;
(B) whether an area has adequate pre-existing
infrastructure and available private land to be used
for the purpose of covered agencies;
(C) whether an area has existing industries
relating to the business of a covered agency that can
serve as public and private sector partners of the
covered agency and strengthen the ability of the
covered agency to carry out the duties of the covered
agency; and
(D) whether, at any time during the 5-year period
preceding the date of enactment of this Act, a sizeable
portion of the workforce of the covered agency has
participated in telework.
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